LORMAN, MS – Alcorn State baseball put up a competitive effort in their home opener at McGowan Stadium but fell 8-2 to Manhattan University on Tuesday afternoon. Despite a strong defensive showing through the early innings, a late surge from the Jaspers proved too much for the Braves to overcome.
Nathan Gamez led the Alcorn offense with two hits, while
Samuel Leonard added two hits and a run scored.
Clayvonjae Wright provided a spark off the bench, delivering a double and scoring one of the Braves' two runs. On the mound,
Jermel Ford got the start, allowing one run over two innings while striking out two.
Myles Dews and
Jacobe Nailer provided solid relief, but Manhattan's timely hitting in the late innings helped them pull away.
GAME RECAP
First Three Innings – Manhattan 1, Alcorn 0
- Manhattan struck first in the opening frame with an RBI double from Aidan Taclas.
- Alcorn threatened in the third inning when Leonard singled and later advanced to third on a passed ball, but the Braves were unable to capitalize.
- Ford and Dews kept the Jaspers in check early, limiting them to just one run on five hits through three innings.
Middle Innings – Manhattan 5, Alcorn 2
- The Jaspers added two runs in the fourth inning on a two-out RBI triple from Hunter Sute and a single by Dylan Mayer.
- Alcorn got on the board in the fifth inning when Leonard walked, advanced on an error, and scored on a fielder's choice.
- Wright doubled and later scored in the sixth to bring the Braves within three runs, but Manhattan responded with two more runs in the seventh to extend their lead.
Final Innings – Manhattan 8, Alcorn 2
- Manhattan put the game out of reach in the ninth inning, adding three insurance runs on a series of defensive miscues and timely hits.
- Alcorn loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth after back-to-back hit batters, but the Braves were unable to push any more runs across.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 7 – Alcorn recorded seven hits, led by Gamez and Leonard with two each.
- 2 – The Braves scored two runs, both unearned, taking advantage of defensive mistakes.
- 13 – Alcorn's pitching staff struck out 13 batters, with five different pitchers recording at least one strikeout.
- 3 – The Braves committed three errors, leading to key scoring opportunities for Manhattan.
UP NEXT
Alcorn State (0-2) will look to bounce back as they travel to Hammond, Louisiana for a three-game, weekend series February 21-23, against Southeastern Louisiana University (. Games are slated for 1 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
For complete coverage of Alcorn State University Braves baseball, please follow @BRAVESSPORTS on Twitter and @alcornsports on Instagram. You can also find up-to-date information on all things Alcorn State Athletics at www.alcornsports.com.
